Restaurants and Bars

With a long history, yet young population, Montpellier's bars and restaurants vary in mood and setting. Choose between appetizing local specialties, or if you prefer, Italian, Spanish, Moroccan, and Mediterranean cuisine, which are all particularly well represented here.

If you're tempted by local specialties (goat's or sheep's cheese, cold cuts, shellfish, olives and chestnuts), the Maison de la Lozère is great for rural produce and the Bonne Bouille, for fish.

Lovers of Italian food will appreciate the high class Verdi, Pizza Pizzeta, Pizzeria Sicilia, and the little Maramao. Tapas fans should try La Cueva.

The best of Arabian cuisine is also on offer: try couscous & tajines at Palmier, Regency, and Jardins de Marrakech. Cèdres du Liban and Al Manara are a good spots for Lebanese cuisine.

If you're after a snack, other establishments are both easy and cost-efficient: the Pita Grecque (good sandwiches), the Petit Ogre, Botan Kebab, the Aligot (particularly weekday lunchtimes)... The city's tea rooms offer a pleasant change of scene: try Simple Simon or L'Heure Bleue.

The large student population gathers, especially on Wednesdays and Thursdays, in all its different bars, open until one o'clock (2 o'clock in summer). There's bodega at the Toro Loco, games at the Rebuffy, electronic music at Next and l'Antidote, themed evenings at l'Odyssee. Serious party-goers and casual drinkers alike meet at the Macadam Pub.

Aesthetes will love the town's beautiful squares, and their vestiges of ancient chapels and churches, now destroyed. The Place de la Chapelle Neuve, is home to Chez Marceau, a bistro-style restaurant, and the Vieil Ecu. If you find yourself on Place Candolle check out the friendly Roule Ma Poule. Aperitifs at La Place or tapas at Pepe Carvalho are the order of the day in the charming Place Saint Ravy, with its beautiful fountain. On the squares near Saint Roch, there are a reasonably priced Mediterranean restaurant, La Posada, and the slightly more stylish Sister's Cafe. In the Place du Marche aux fleurs you will love the fresh cuisine at Saleya and the popular bar des Capucins.

You should also explore the original establishments that nestle in the city's suburbs: specialties from North Africa at Cafeteria Boutonnet in Boutonnet; organic food at Quatres Saisons in the Beaux-Arts quarter; more African cuisine at Maquis in rue de la Mediterrannee; the excellent Chinese Cheng Du, specialties from the mountains at the Grenier Savoyard. Figuerolles is also worth a visit. There's the cheap, oriental Mac Khalid; the exotic Port Salengro or the endless pizzas at Repalatin.

Don't forget that the city extends to the banks of the river Lez (Antigone) and to the sea (Port Mariane) where you can also find luxurious restaurants like the Chandelier and Fabrice Guilleux.

Take a trip off the beaten track to some great restaurants on the littoral (at Sète or close to the Etang de Thau for seafood & shellfish) and good inns that are typical of the garrigues region: Chez la Tchèpe, Pressoir de Saint Saturnin.